Peer-to-peer (P2P) peripheral communication control

ABSTRACT

A host establishes an up-to-date, an automated, secure, and Peer-Two-Peer (PSP) communication session with a peripheral. During the communication session, the host controls serialization, prioritization, and delivery of messages being passed. Each message providing command instructions and/or information for processing between the host and the peripheral.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, peripheral devices lack any Operating System (OS) and arecompletely controlled through firmware and device driver commands sentfrom the host to which the peripheral devices are connected. This meansthat the host completely controls the peripheral and the peripheral isprimarily a “dumb” device.

More recently, peripheral devices include a limited OS making suchperipheral devices more autonomous than what has been available in theindustry. Still, most of these peripheral devices lack any networkconnectivity (or included an extremely limited independent networkconnectivity) and these peripherals generally do not support processingany customized applications beyond the applications packaged with theperipheral (even though these peripherals include a processor).

Because of the limited connectivity and difficulty in processingcustomized applications, these peripherals are more intelligent thantheir predecessors but are still only marginally “intelligent.”

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, methods and a system for P2P peripheralcommunication control are presented.

According to an embodiment, a method for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol is presented. More particularly, a device is detected as beingconnected to a host. The device is instructed to reboot in an accessorymode or operation as a peripheral to the host. The peripheral isauthenticated for interaction with the host. Finally, a securecommunication session is established between the host and the peripheralwith communications provided in a message passing formation as messagespassed between the host and the peripheral and controlled by the host.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 1B is an interaction diagram for host and a peripheral to establishan authenticated communication session providing host control of theperipheral, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of another method for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of another system for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system 100 for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment. The various components areillustrated and the arrangement of the components is presented forpurposes of illustration only. It is to be noted that other arrangementswith more or less components are possible without departing from the P2Pperipheral communication control teachings presented herein and below.

The techniques, methods, and system presented herein and below for P2Pperipheral communication control can be implemented in whole or in partin one, all, or some combination of the components shown with the system100. The techniques and methods are programmed as executableinstructions in memory and/or non-transitory computer-readable storagemedia and processed on one or more processors associated with thevarious components.

As used herein the term “peripheral” may be used interchangeably andsynonymously with the phrase “peripheral device.”

Peripherals can include, by way of example only, a printer, a cardreader, a touch screen display, a non-touch screen display, a bar codescanner, a weigh scale, a camera, a magnetic stripe card reader, a EMV(Europay®, Mastercard®, Visa®) embedded chip card reader, and the like.

The peripherals include a processor and a limited OS having no orrestricted external network access capabilities.

As used herein, a “host” is a computer device having full networkconnectivity, an OS, memory, and storage.

The host is configured with a Point-Of-Sale (POS) application thatexecutes on the processors of the host within the host's OS. The host isoperated by a customer (such that the host is a Self-Service Terminal(SST) or can be operated by a clerk on behalf of a customer for acustomer transaction. As used herein, an “operator” includes a customerand a clerk. Moreover, the term “operator” may be used synonymously andinterchangeably with the term “user.”

The system 100 includes a host 110 and a peripheral 120. The hostincludes software modules that execute on the host 110 including aconnect module 111, an authentication module 112, a configuration module113, a message handler module 114 and a POS module 115. The host 110 isconnected to the peripheral 130 through a wired connection 120. Theperipheral 130 includes a POS interface 131. Both the host 110 and theperipheral 130 include their own OS (not shown in the FIG. 1A).

The processing of the modules 111-115 and 131 are now discussed withreference to the FIG. 1B.

The connect module 111 and the POS interface 131 interact when the wiredconnection 120 is established between the host 110 and the peripheral130 to perform the processing illustrated as 1-9 in the FIG. 1B.

The authentication module 112 and the POS interface 131 perform theprocessing 10-12.

The configuration module 113 and the POS interface 131 perform theprocessing at 13.

The message handler module 114 and the POS interface 131 perform theprocessing at 14.

The POS module 115 and the POS interface 131 perform the processing at15.

The processing depicted at 1-14 is now discussed with the above-notedmodules 111-115 and 131 performing their above-designated processing. Itis to be noted that more or less modules may be deployed withoutdeparting from the teachings presented herein. For example modules111-113 may be a single module.

At 1, the host device 110 detects a connected peripheral 130 over awired connection 120. In an embodiment, the wired connection 120 is aUniversal Serial Bus (USB) connection. The can be done throughtraditional OS mechanisms that report the presence of a connected device130 to the host 110.

At 2, the host 110 instructs the peripheral 130 to switch from devicemode of operation to an accessory mode of operation. In response, theperipheral 130 reboots itself in an accessory mode of operationpermitting control by the host 110.

At 3, the host 110 and the peripheral 130 open an initial communicationsession with one another with the peripheral 130 operating in anaccessory mode of operation.

At 5, the host 110 verifies that the peripheral 130 is running a listedversion of the POS interface 131 or a version that is compatible withthe POS module 115.

When the version of the POS interface 131 necessitates an update to anewer version of the POS interface 131, the host 110 downloads thecorrect version from an external network connection accessible to thehost 110 and dynamically pushes, at 5, the new version to the peripheral130. In response, the peripheral 130 installs the new version andrestarts, at 6, with the new version of the interface 131 and processingstarts back at 1 when the peripheral 130 is finished restarting itself.Optionally, and in some instances the restart may necessitate a rebootof the device 130.

At 7, the host verifies that the peripheral 130 is running the latestavailable version of the OS. When the peripheral 130 is not running thelatest version or a version compatible with the host 110, the host 110downloads the correct version from an external network connectionaccessible to the host 110 and dynamically pushes, at 7, the new versionto the peripheral 130. In response, the peripheral 130 saves the newversion of the OS and reboots, at 8, with the new version of the OS andprocessing starts back at 1 when the peripheral 130 is finishedrebooting itself.

At 9, a stable and open initial connection is achieved between the host110 and the peripheral.

At 10, the host 110 and the peripheral 130 authenticated to one another.This can be done in a number of manners. For example, and in anembodiment, the peripheral 130 includes a prepackaged signed certificateand hashing algorithm that decrypts the certificate with a peripheralkey and hashes the certificate to obtain a fingerprint (select string ofcharacters obtained from the certificate). The fingerprint is decryptedwith the certificate and provide to the host 110. The host decrypts thefingerprint with its signed certificate to obtain a first fingerprint.Next, the host 110 performs the same processing as was done on theperipheral 130 to obtain a second fingerprint. The first and secondfingerprint are compared and if they match processing proceeds as anauthenticated P2P connection, at 12, between the host 110 and theperipheral 130. However, if the fingerprints do not match, the host 110disconnects the peripheral 130 at 11 (disconnection illustrated by thetwo vertical lines in the FIG. 1B).

At 12, the secure and authenticated P2P connection between the host 110and the peripheral 130 is established.

At 13, the host 110 and the peripheral 130 exchange configurationinformation that permit the two to communicate with one another, such asdevice types, device names, device identifiers, message passing methodused for communication, etc.

At 14, the host 110 and the peripheral both hook in, configure, andprocess a same published subscriber module message passing schemecustomized for the POS module 114.

At 15, the message handler 114 and the POS module 115 cooperate forcontrolling message handling and messages sent from the POS interface131 and to the POS interface 131 for processing during the nowestablished secure P2P connection between the host 110 and theperipheral 130.

The messages provide instructions and/or information for the peripheral130 and the host 110 to communicate with one another over the secure P2Pconnection.

In an embodiment, the messages are in JavaScript® Object Notation(JSON).

The messages are serialized and prioritized for processing by themessage handler 114. Each message is identified as a different type ofmessage, such as transaction commands, for a transaction being processedon the host 110 heartbeats, debugging/logging information. For example,debugging/logging is prioritized lower than transaction commands.

As one example of processing associated with the message passing duringthe secure P2P connection, consider that the peripheral 130 is atouchscreen display 130 operated by a customer, the host 110 is operatedby a clerk for a transaction and there is at least one other connectedP2P peripheral 130 connected to the host 110 in a separate, secure, andindependent P2P connection with the host 110, such as a printer 130.During the transaction, the host 110 sends display commands to thetouchscreen 130 as messages that the touchscreen 130 presentsinformation relevant to the transaction. One command displays a printreceipt option on the touchscreen 130. The touchscreen 130 (responsiveto a customer touch on the receipt option) sends a message back to thehost 110 to print the receipt, the host 110 sends the print command andprint data (receipt data) to the printer 130 over the separate P2Pconnection between the host 110 and the printer 130; in response, theprinter 130 prints the receipt data.

This example illustrates that the host 110 can have multiple independentperipherals 130, with each separate peripheral 130 having its ownindependent secure P2P connection to the host 110. The peripherals 130can interact through the host. Communication is achieved through themessaging passing with control maintained by the host 110.

The host 110 can filter messages received based on the peripheral thatis to receive a message, prioritize the messages for sending during atransaction, and send or provide messages from to the POS module 115 fortransaction processing.

In an embodiment, the host 110 and the peripheral 130 include anAndroid® OS and utilize the Android® Open Accessory ApplicationProgramming Interface (API) over a USB wired connection to perform theprocessing discussed above.

In an embodiment, the host 110 is a tablet computer and the peripheral130 is also a tablet computer. In an embodiment, the size of the displayon the host is larger than the size of the display on the peripheral130. In an embodiment, the host 110 and the peripheral 130 are encasedin single housing with one another. In an embodiment, the host 110 alsoincludes additional P2P connected peripherals 130 that include a camera,and one or more of a Near Field Communication (NFC) device, an EMV cardreader, and a Magnetic Stripe Reader. In an embodiment, the system 100is a POS terminal. In an embodiment, the system 100 is a SST.

These embodiments and other embodiments are now discussed with referenceto the FIGS. 2-4.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method 200 for P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) thatimplements the method 200 is referred to as a “host peripheralconnection manager.” The host peripheral connection manager isimplemented as executable instructions programmed and residing withinmemory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable)storage medium and executed by one or more processors of a device. Theprocessor(s) of the device that executes the host peripheral connectionmanager are specifically configured and programmed to process the hostperipheral connection manager. The host peripheral connection managerhas access to one or more networks during its processing. The networkscan be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the host peripheral connection manager implements theprocessing for all of or some combination of the modules 111-115.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the host peripheralconnection manager is the host 110.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the host peripheralconnection manager is tablet computer.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the host peripheralconnection manager is a POS terminal. In an embodiment, the POS terminalis a SST.

At 210, the host peripheral connection manager detects a deviceconnected to the host. In an embodiment, this is a wired connection. Inan embodiment, this is a USB connection.

At 220, the host peripheral connection manager instructs the device toreboot in an accessory mode of operation as a peripheral device. In anembodiment, once the device is rebooted in an accessory mode ofoperation, the device becomes a peripheral device to the host.

In an embodiment, at 221, the host peripheral connection managerdetermines that the peripheral has an incorrect version of a POSinterface for interacting with a POS application processing on the host.In response, the host peripheral connection manager: obtains through anetwork connection available to the host a correct version of the POSinterface, dynamically pushes the correct version of the POS interfaceover the wired connection to the peripheral, and instructs theperipheral to install and restart with the correct version of the POSinterface installed on the peripheral.

In an embodiment of 221 and at 222, the host peripheral connectionmanager determines that the peripheral has an incorrect version of an OSfor interacting with the POS application. In response, the hostperipheral connection manager obtains the correct version of the OSthrough the network connection, dynamically pushes the correct versionof the OS to the peripheral, and instructs the peripheral to install andreboot with the correct version of the OS interface on the peripheral.

At 230, the host peripheral connection manager authenticates theperipheral for interaction with the host.

In an embodiment, at 231, the host peripheral connection managervalidates an encrypted fingerprint provided by the peripheral and whenthe encrypted fingerprint is invalid, the host peripheral connectionmanager disconnects the peripheral from the host.

In an embodiment of 231 and at 232, the host peripheral connectionmanager exchanges configuration information between the host and theperipheral.

In an embodiment of 232 and at 233, the host peripheral connectionmanager provides the peripheral with at least some configurationinformation that is specific to processing features that are to beactivated on the peripheral and supported by a POS applicationprocessing on the host.

At 240, the host peripheral connection manager establishes a securecommunication session between the host and the peripheral in a messagepassing format as messages are passed between the host and theperipheral during the secure communication session.

In an embodiment, at 241, the host peripheral connection managerserializes the messages received from the peripheral during the securecommunication session and serializes other messages being directed tothe peripheral during the secure communication session that aregenerated by the host or generated by a second peripheral that has aseparate and independent secure communication session with the host.

In an embodiment of 241 and at 242, the host peripheral connectionmanager classifies the serialized messages into categories for:transaction processing, debug/log processing, and heartbeat processing.

In an embodiment of 242 and at 243, the host peripheral connectionmanager prioritizes the categorized messages to ensure that the higherprioritized messages are forwarded to or received by the peripheralbefore lower prioritized messages.

In an embodiment of 240 and at 244, the host peripheral connectionmanager delivers at least one message that is received from theperipheral during the secure communication session to a secondperipheral that has a second and independent secure communicationsession with the host.

In an embodiment of 240 and at 245, the host peripheral connectionmanager delivers at least one message generated by the host forprocessing by the peripheral during the secure communication session.

In an embodiment of 240 and at 246, the host peripheral connectionmanager processes at least one message sent from the peripheral duringthe secure communication session on the host.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of another method 300 for P2P peripheralcommunication control, according to an example embodiment. The softwaremodule(s) that implement the method 300 is referred to herein as a“peripheral connection manager.” The peripheral connection manager isimplemented as executable instructions and programmed within memoryand/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storagemedium that executes on one or more processors of a device. Theprocessors of the device are specifically configured to executeperipheral connection manager.

In an embodiment, the peripheral connection manager does not have accessto any external network. The peripheral connection manager lackscommunication capabilities over a network connection.

The processing described herein for the peripheral connection managerprovides processing associated with the P2P peripheral connection andcommunication from the perspective of the peripheral.

In an embodiment, the v peripheral connection manager is all of somecombination of the processing discussed above with respect to the POSinterface 131.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the peripheral connectionmanager is the peripheral 130.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the peripheral connectionmanager is a tablet computer.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the peripheral connectionmanager is one of: a MSR card reader, an EMV card reader, a keyboard, atouchscreen display, a printer, a barcode scanner, a camera, a weighscale, a currency dispenser, a change dispenser, etc.

At 310, the peripheral connection manager reboots the device (the deviceexecuting the peripheral connection manager) as a peripheral uponconnection of the device to the host. This makes the device operate as aperipheral that is controlled by the host. In an embodiment, theperipheral lacks network connectivity to any external network.

According to an embodiment, the peripheral connection manager rebootsthe device in an accessory mode of operation.

At 320, the peripheral connection manager provides an encryptedfingerprint to the host for authentication of the peripheral to thehost.

At 330, the peripheral connection manager exchanges configurationinformation with the host.

In an embodiment, at 331, the peripheral connection manager configuresthe peripheral to process messages in a publisher-subscriber moduleformat with POS messages recognized by a POS application processing onthe host.

At 340, the peripheral connection manager establishes a secure ccommunication session between the peripheral and the host.

At 350, the peripheral connection manager passes a first message to thehost for processing by the host during the secure communication session.

At 360, the peripheral connection manager processes a second messagereceived from the host on the peripheral during the secure communicationsession.

According to an embodiment, at 370, the peripheral connection managerpasses a third message to the host for processing by a second peripheralthat has a second and separate P2P secure communication session with thehost during the secure communication session (which is also a P2Pconnection to the host).

In an embodiment, at 380, the peripheral connection manager processes athird message received from the host that originated on a secondperipheral that has a second and separate P2P secure communicationsession with the host during the secure communication session (which isalso a P2P connection to the host).

In an embodiment, at 390, the peripheral connection manager processes orsends a third message received from or sent by the host that is adiagnostic message (debug, log, heartbeat, etc).

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a system 400 for or P2P peripheral communicationcontrol, according to an example embodiment. The components of thesystem 400 are programmed and reside within memory and/or anon-transitory computer-readable medium and execute on one or moreprocessors of multiple devices of the system 400. One device of thesystem 400 also has access and can communicate over one or morenetworks; and the networks can be wired, wireless, or a combination ofwired and wireless. In an embodiment, one device of the system lacks anetwork connection or any ability to communicate over an externalnetwork.

The system 400 is configured and programmed to perform the processingdiscussed above with the FIGS. 1A-1B and 2-3.

The system 400 includes a host 401 having a P2P communication manager402, and the system 400 includes a device 403 having a host interface404.

In an embodiment, the host 401 is the host 110.

In an embodiment, the P2P communication manager 402 some combination ofor all of the processing discussed above with modules 111-115 and themethod 200.

In an embodiment, the host 401 is a tablet computer.

In an embodiment, the host 401 is a POS terminal. In an embodiment, thePOS terminal is a SST.

In an embodiment, the device 403 is the peripheral 130.

In an embodiment, the host interface 404 performs all or somecombination of the processing discussed above for module 131 and themethod 300.

In an embodiment, the device 403 is a tablet computer.

In an embodiment, the device 403 is one of: a MSR card reader, an EMVcard reader, a keyboard, a touchscreen display, a printer, a barcodescanner, a camera, a weigh scale, a currency dispenser, a changedispenser, etc.

In an embodiment, the host 401 and the device 403 are enclosed in asingle and same housing.

In an embodiment, the host 401 is a first tablet computer, and thedevice 403 is a second tablet computer.

The P2P communication manager 402 is configured to: i) execute on atleast one processor of the host 401, ii). instruct the device 403 toreboot as a peripheral upon detection of the device 403 through a wiredconnection to the host 401, iii) establish a secure communicationsession with the device 403 as the peripheral: iv) control theperipheral during the secure communication session through messagespassed during the secure communication session.

The host interface 404 is configured to: i) execute on at least oneprocessor of the device 403, ii) reboot the device 403 to operate in anaccessory mode of operation as the peripheral, iii) process some of themessages on the device 403 received from the host 401 during the securecommunication session, and iv) send other of the messages to the host401 for further processing by the host 401 or a second peripheral duringthe secure communication session.

In an embodiment, the wired connection is a USB connection.

In an embodiment, the device 403 lacks a network connection whenrebooted as the peripheral.

It should be appreciated that where software is described in aparticular form (such as a component or module) this is merely to aidunderstanding and is not intended to limit how software that implementsthose functions may be architected or structured. For example, modulesmay be illustrated as separate modules, but may be implemented ashomogenous code, as individual components, some, but not all of thesemodules may be combined, or the functions may be implemented in softwarestructured in any other convenient manner.

Furthermore, although the software modules are illustrated as executingon one piece of hardware, the software may be distributed over multipleprocessors of a single device, or in any other convenient manner.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features aregrouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than areexpressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claimsreflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of asingle disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are herebyincorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a host comprising ahost processor and a host non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium; a device comprising a device processor and a devicenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium; the host non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium comprising host executableinstructions; the device non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumcomprising device executable instructions; the host executableinstructions when executed by the host processor from thehost-non-transitory computer-readable storage medium cause the hostprocessor to perform first operations comprising: instructing the deviceto reboot as a peripheral upon detection of the device through a wiredconnection to the host establishing a secure communication session withthe device as the peripheral; and controlling the peripheral during thesecure communication session through messages passed during the securecommunication session; and the device executable instructions whenexecuted by the device processor from the device non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium cause the device processor to performsecond operations comprising: rebooting the device to operate in anaccessory mode of operation as the peripheral; processing some of themessages on the device received from the host during the securecommunication session; and sending other of the messages to the host forfurther processing by the host or a second peripheral during the securecommunication session, wherein the messages are customized for the hostusing a customized message passing format.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the host and the device are both tablet computers.